We’ve been hiking the Paria Trail for very many years now, enjoying our treks with the rainforest on one side and the waves crashing on the north coast on the other side. The pelicans and parrots accompanying us on our journey. A lovely hike with its fair share of challenging inclines. A trail well-travelled by many an adventure seeker.
And just like that, with a glint in her eye, one of our neighbours living on the trail let out a well-kept secret of a hidden waterfall nearby. Not far off the trail. Around some rocks. Crossing a beach covered in pebbles. Look to the right and follow the river. And right there, without any fanfare, a small but pristine waterfall, welcomed us.
Happiness for any hiker. Clear refreshing pool of water. A gem found. Just around the corner.
There are so many simple pleasures in life that we dismiss. Not enough time. Too much of an effort. The weather isn’t so good. Maybe next week.
Take this on as a challenge. The next time you have an opportunity to do something different in the middle of the week. Jump at it. It may turn your week upside down. It may delay some of your deadlines. And then again it may not.
I promise you that the time you spend will be rewarded with a great sense of appreciation, relaxation, and accomplishment. For you would have done something out of the ordinary. You would have shaken up your routine. Your busyness will be put on hold for just one day. And the rest of your week will fly by with a smirk on your face.
I am developing a new skill – the art of quilting. Yup – a crazy lady living in the tropics learning to make quilts – primarily used in temperate climates as a warm bed covering – according to google. Crazy maybe, but boy is she having fun. Thanks to the encouragement of a long-time friend whose talent can only be described as inspirational.
It’s a mind boggling thing – a quilt. You purchase yards of fabric, cut them up into small pieces and sew them back together again. My husband shakes his head at the process, but allows me my space as he has to admit that I am happiest in front of my sewing machine. Well let’s just say that it is one of my many happy places.
I learned to sew sitting next to my mom while she was at her machine, quite some years ago. She wasn’t meticulous about her sewing but the outcome was always good. Her advice was simply to measure twice and cut once. And when that didn’t work out so well, she quietly quelled my tears by assuring me that ‘every mistake is a fashion’ which has served me extremely well with my quilting.
I’ve joined a Facebook group entitled ‘Quilting‘ – a group of extremely talented, generous, inspiring and caring women and men who share the love of, you guessed it, quilting. It is a hobby for most and an income earner for others. It’s a space where you can share your successes and be applauded and what you consider to be failures and still be applauded, because as I’ve learned, there is no ugly quilt. It’s a space where you are encouraged to continue regardless, where getting advice is quicker than google and where you feel a great sense of belonging. You seriously ‘feel the love’ in this group.
Why didn’t I do this before? Well for me quilting takes time. You pretty much need to have nowhere to be and lots of time to get there, not to mention a whole lot of love for this art. So, here I am quilting to my heart’s content.
A baby quilt entitled ‘Trini Roots’ for my grand niece living in England
Explore with me 